Connector for electric wires



(No Model.)

B. L. NASH, G. G. STOUT & J. R. DAVIS. GONNEGTOR'POR ELECTRIC WIRES.

No. 454,181. Patented June 16,1891.

W iff gmvewf/oakf UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' EDMUND L. NASH, GEORGE G. STOUT, AND JESSE R DAVIS, OF PARKERSBURG,VEST VIRGINIA.

CONNECTOR FOR ELECTRIC WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 454,181, dated June 16,1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDMUND L. NASH, GEORGE G. STOUT, and JEssE R.DAVIS, of Parkersburg, in the county of Wood and State of Vest Virginia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Connectors forElectric Circuits; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

Our invention relates to connectors for electric circuits.

It has for its object to simplify the construction and provide aconnector of great efficiency, which will be of such construction thatthe liability of loss of life due to a lineman or electrician touchingtwo live wires will be reduced to a minimum.

WVith these objects in view the invention consists in certain featuresof construction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing we have represented our invention in alongitudinal vertical sectional view.

Referring to the parts by letter, A denotes a tube of good electricalconductivity, provided near its end with screw-threadedapertures a, andhaving its ends flared, as shown at a. Around this tube is secured acovering B, of non-conducting material, preferably of vulcanized rubber,which is provided with apertures b, coincident with and of greater areathan the screwthreaded apertures a. This non-conductin g coveringextendsslightly beyond the ends of the tube A, and is also flared, as at b, 011a line with the flare of the tube, thus greatly facilitating theintroduction of the conducting-wires C C. These wires are held inelectrical contact with the tubeA by thumb-screws D, each of whichconsists of the metallic screw portion d and the insulated thumb-piececl. The portion cl of the thumb screw works through the screw-threadedaperture a and binds the wire against the tube A, while the shoulder dof the thumb-piece is permitted to follow its screw portion (Z, owing tothe enlarged aperture 1). It will thus be seen that when theconducting-wires are clamped against the tube A the metal portionApplication filed January 20, 1891- Serial No. 378,404. (No model.)

of the thumb-screw is entirely protected by the non-conducting covering,and that by proj ectin g the ends of the insulating-coverin g beyond theends of the metal tube it will be impossible for the hands of thelineman or electrician to come in contact with the tube.

iVe are aware of Patent No. 426,200, granted April 22, 1890, to J. F.l\lunsie,wherein is shown a two-part metallic case secured together byscrews, and in which is placed a two-part clamp provided with screws forclamping the parts together against the conducting-wires, and aroundwhich two-part case is placed a two-part non-conducting covering securedat their adjacent edges in a like manner as the metallic case.

To disconnect the conducting-wires from the Munsie connector, it isnecessary, first, that the parts of the non-conducting covering beseparated, then the parts of the metallic casin g likewise separated,and then the clamp be loosened, which is not only a difficult operation,but an operation which requires considerable time. By our connector weentirely overcome these drawbacks, for to disconnect or to connect theconducting-wires it is only 11 ecessary to give a partial turn of eachthumbscrew. \Ve not only overcome the above objections of the Munsieconnector, but can furnish to the trade a connector more simple inconstruction and operation and at a greatly reduced cost.

Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States- 1. A connector for electriccircuits, consisting of a metallic tube having screw-threaded aperturesnear its end, a covering of nonconducting material surrounding the tubeand provided with apertures coincident with and of greater area than theaforesaid apertures, and a thumb-screw comprising a metal screw portionand an insulated thumb portion, the screw portion working through thescrewthreaded aperture of the tube, and the shoulder on the insulatedportion fitting into the aperture of the non-conducting covering,substantially as set forth.

2. A connector for electric circuits, consisting of a metallic tubehaving flaring ends and provided with apertures near its ends, acovering of non-conducting material surround- In testimony whereof wehave signed this IO ing said tube and provided with aperturesspecification in the presence of two subscribcoincident with theaforesaid apertures, the ingwitnesses.

said covering projecting beyond the ends of EDMUND L. NASH 5 the tubeand flared on a linewith flare of GEORGE G. STOUT.

the tube, and insulated set-screws Working JESSE R. DAVIS.

through said apertures, whereby the tube is YVitnesses:

completely insulated substantially as set JOHN E.LEACH,

forth. HERBERT D. Ross.

